Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2

It’s always hoped that if a game has a sequel, then it’s better than the first. I’m happy to confirm that I found that to be the case when playing Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2. Not only does the game build upon the good components of its predecessor, but also adds in and fixes some much-needed changes.

The Plot

This time, the story begins with the player taking control of one U.S Marine Captain Cole Anderson in the Philippines whilst CIA Special Agent Diaz makes their way to an old Russian radar post to destroy it whilst working on a tip that some mercenaries may be working on a biological weapon there. The game follows this story lead, weaving in and out of locations and throwing in twists to keep it interesting. Much of your sniping and shooting is done within the realms of this story.

What Was Good

So, with the plot summarised, let’s focus on the positives, as I’ve found considerably more than in the original instalment! First of all, the graphics and animations have improved and make for a more visually pleasing game no matter what console you’re playing on, be it PlayStation or PC. The story, while also still quite short, is a bit more engaging than the first as well (I’m basing this off the fact that I got bored a lot less than I did with it predecessor). The AI is thankfully fixed, meaning there are fewer opportunities for you to randomly miss your enemies even though you shoot right at them and is just more responsive to your controls in general than it ever was before.

What Wasn’t Great

What’s still not good is how the developers still don’t seem to understand that advertising as a game where you can play as a sniper means the sniping element needs to be well incorporated, smooth and fun. The fact that there are so many guns in the game but you are limited to only 2 (a pistol and a sniper) takes away from some of the realism and a lot of the fun. Given the violent nature of the game, it should be no surprise that players will want to kill their enemies in as many ways (and with as many guns) as possible. There are still some graphics problems, such as the faker than fake looking blood and also the strange decision to cut off at your character’s legs, which you could see in the first game. A big issue that goes beyond personal preference is the fact that the game is still quite glitchy, with various bugs being reported by many players. There have definitely been improvements as far as the AI and NPC goes, but a lot of their movements and decisions are as dumb as ever.

The Bottom Line

Whilst this instalment of ghost warrior is surely better than the original, there is still some work to be done to make it the game that it’s supposed to be. Unlike the first, this is a game that I’m not actually that hesitant to recommended. It has its problems, but you’ll definitely be able to kill a lot of time playing it.